Thomas m



(No Model.)

T-. M. KENNEY.

DOOR CHECK.

Patented Feb. 10, 1885.

INVENTOR. mud mm,

WITNESSEE.

lhvr're *rrrras ATENT tries.

THOMAS M. KENNEY, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES A.MASON, OF SAME PLACE.

DOOR-CHECK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,127, dated February10,1885.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. KENNEY, of Cambridge, in the county ofMiddlesex and State'of Massachusetts; have invented a new and usefulAutomatic Door-Check, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a counterbalanced hunter pivoted to andswinging vertically within narrow limits upon a bracket attached to thetop of the door-frame, and a perpendicular finger-bar attached to thedoor near its top, and adapted, when the door is swinging too swiftly inclosing, to throw the counterbalanced bunter down to meet the door,causing it to rebound and then close gently, the hunter returning to itsnormal position out of the track of the door before the latter hasrecovered from the rebound and resumed its initial movement.

The object of my invention is to prevent the concussion of atooswiftly-swinging door in closing. I attain this by the specialmechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa side elevation of my invention as applied practically, with a partialsection of the door-frame and of the door in its closed position. Thedotted lines indicate the relative position of the several parts whenthe door is partially opened. Fig. 2 is a top view, showing the door inthe act of closing. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts when they occur in thedrawings.

The hunter D, having a counterbalance weight at one end, and providedwith rubber cushions E and F, as shown, is'pivoted to the bracket C,which in turn is attached to the door-jamb B at such a height above thetop of the door as will allow the latter to swing freely below thehunter D when it is in its normal position, as shown in Fig. l. Thehunter D oscillates vertically within the limits determined by theshoulder a of the bracket C and the point of impingement of the cushionF against the under side of said bracket.

To the outer end of the hunter D is loosely hinged an arm, G, which isso jointed to the hunter at b that while it is in its normal positionits upper line and that of the hunter are coincident, and any downwardmovement of it imparts a like movement to the hunter D. It also has afree upward vertical movement greater than and independent of that ofthe hunter D, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig.

'1. This arm G, near its outerend, is bent laterally ata right angle, asshown at gin Fig. 2. The finger-bar H is attached to the face of thedoor A, near its top, and has its upper end angularly bent to form apresser-finger, d, which raises or depresses the arm G by engaging theupper or'under sides, respectively, of the part g as the door is closedor opened. The upper end of the finger-bar H-to more particularlydescribe it-is first bent laterally at a right angle, as shown at c inFig. 2. for a short distance, and then to a downwardly-inclinedposition, as shown at d in Fig. 3. The

purpose of this is to have the part d pass over the part 9 in closingthe door, and so depress the arm Gto bring the hunter and its cushion Ein the track of the closing door, while in opening the door the part (2will pass under the part g and merely raise the arm G, as shown by thedotted lines in Fig. 1, without disturbing the hunter D.

In practically operating my invention, if the door is swung to, gently,to close, the presserfinger or part cl will slide easily over the top ofthe part g, and the arm G will not be depressed with sufficient force tothrow the hunter D and its cushion E down into the track of the closingdoor; but if the door-be swung with violence in closing, the quick pasage of the finger d over the part 9 will oscillate the hunter moreviolently and throwit down into the track of the swiftly'closing door,which will engage the hunter D before the counter balance can force itup out of the way. This will check the door and cause it to rebound,when the counter-balance will force the hunter D hack toits normalposition out of the track case, unless the door is closing swiftly, the

counter-balance will force the hunter back to its normal position beforethe door will reach it, and allow the door to swingunobstructedlythereunder to close.

I have found the construction hereinbefore described to be thepreferable one. The rubber cushion E acts as a noiseless check, and doesnot injure the door, and the cushion I*, being elastic, accelerates andaids the action of the counter-balance. It is obvious, however, thatthese two elements may be dispensed with without departing from theprinciple of my invention.

Other modifications in the form and proportions of the several parts,-orof either of them, may be readily made by any good 1nechanic withoutdeparting from the principle of my invention.

IVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic door-check, the combination of the followingelements, viz: a bracle et, 0, fixedly secured to the doorjamb, a couirterbalaneed hunter, 1), capable of a limited vertical movement pivotallyon said bracket, as shown, and provided with aloosely-jointed i arm, G,capable of a vertical upward movement independent of and greater thanthat of said bnnter, as shown, and a finger-bar, H, attached to the doorand adapted to engage the arm G, to oscillate the hunter D and bring itwithin the track of a swiftly-closing door to check its momentum, asshown and described.

2. In an automatic door'check, the combination of a counterbalancedhunter pivotally held above the track of an opening and closing door,with a finger-bar, H, attached to the door, and adapted to throw thehunter down into the track of a swift] y-closin g door to check itsmomentum, as shown and described.

3. In a dooncheck, the combination of a bracket, 0, a pivotally-actingbunt-er, D, provided with a counter-weight, a jointed arm. adapted for ayielding movement at one side of the jamb, and a finger-bar or similarattachment upon the door adapted to engage and actuate said arm G.

THOMAS M. KENNEY.

Witnesses:

FRANK E. MAsoN, L. M. IIANNUM.

